Wear resistance of in situ MMC produced by supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS)

The resistance to abrasive wear can be effectively raised by hard particles embedded in a metal matrix. Powder metallurgy allows to admix larger particles than those precipitated from the matrix. To save costs ferrotitanium (FeTi) particles are admixed to a tool steel powder and are transformed in situ into titanium carbonitrides during compaction by supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS) instead of hot isostatic pressing. Pin-on-abrasive paper-tests as well as scratch tests reveal an increase in wear resistance of in situ SLPS–metal-matrix-composites (MMC) over hot isostatic pressing (HIP)–MMC, which is linked to the large size of precipitated hard particles in the former. The application of these laboratory results is seen in reinforcing inserts of wear parts.